“Greener Every Week” is my ongoing series in which I do one (cheap, easy) thing every week to make my home or lifestyle more healthy & eco-friendly.

This is definitely a pretty classic “go green” tip, but man, it really works! All those all-purpose spray cleaners and window cleaners are chock-full of toxins and generally nasty stuff, and they cost 3-6 bucks a bottle, which just adds insult to injury. Go get a refillable spray bottle, a big ol’ jug of white vinegar, and a bottle of lemon juice, and make your own spray cleaner – it’s fast, cheap, easy, and way better for your home and your wallet.

Use about a 2:1 ratio of water to vinegar, and then add a couple of tablespoons of lemon juice so your house doesn’t smell like a photo lab every time you clean. That’s it, and it works for everything – countertops, floors, bathrooms, even windows (as long as you are using microfibers – I haven’t tried it with paper towels but it’s probably good with them too). If you run across some really tough spots (like the stove top or bathtub crud) just sprinkle a bit of baking soda down, spray a bit of this mix on there, and scrub it with a cloth or a hard-bristle brush. Our grandmothers might have known what they were doing after all.

Comments

I make a similar cleaner by combining the peel from 1 orange, lemon, grapefruit or lime in a large jar with 3 cups white vinegar. I let that sit, covered in a dark place for two weeks then cut the mixture with water to make my own citrus disinfectant. I use this on everything in my house, even the floors.

I use vinegar and water with a drop or two of lavender essential oil and keep a spray bottle in the bathroom to spray after we use the shower. It helps to keep the fluoride that’s in our water from having that nasty pink build up.